Electric regulator.



J. L. CREVELING.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

APPLICATION man APR, 16, 1909.

1,162,458. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

QWMQQQM 81400141307,

UNITED STA'EES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. CREVELING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SAFETY CAR HEATING AND LIGHTING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed April 16, 1909. Serial No. 490,367.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN L. CREVELING, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawing forming a part thereof.

My invention pertains to that class of electric regulators intended to hold the current, or voltage, in a circuit constant throughout changes in voltage which may take place at the source of current supply.

My invention has for its objects, first, to provide a current, or voltage, regulator which will maintain-the current, or voltage, in a translation circuit constant, as may be predetermined regardless of certain fluctuations in voltage delivered by a dynamo or generator driven at a variable speed and which will act automatically instantaneously to effect such changes by releasing power impelled mechanism which is constantly held in check when no current changes are being eifected and allowed to operate either to increase or decrease the resistance according as the voltage rises or falls beyond normal limits. Second, to provide means for maintaining the power impelling mechanism always under stress by continuously rewinding the same.

Figure I. is a diagrammatic representation of one 'form of regulator embodying my invention and the same is shown in connection with a system employing a generator and a storage battery to supply current for lamps or other translating devices upon which it is desired that the voltage shall remain constant throughout changes in voltage across the battery, as will be determined, for instance, by the condition of charge of said battery. Fig. II. represents another form of stop mechanism which can be employed in connection with my improved regulator, as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

In Fig. I. (1) represents a generator and (2) a battery connected with the lamps or other translating devices (3). 1) is a carbon resistance, made up of proper carbon disks, or any suitable variable resistance device which may be placed in series with the lamp circuit and shunted if desired by the shunt (6) is a screw, revolved by the gear wheel (7) in a right handed direction so as to compact the carbons or otherwise re duce t he resistance in the lamp circuit. (8) 1s a similar gear wheel carried by the nut (9) which, if revolved in the same direction as the gear wheel (7), will tend to increase the resistance in the lamp circuit. (10) is a small bevel gear mounted upon the shaft (11) and engaging the gear wheels (12) and (13), in such manner as to form what is commonly known as a differential drive. These gear wheels (12) and (13) mesh with the gear wheels (8) and (7), respectively, and also with two pinions carried by two shafts which carry in turn additional gear wheels 14 and 15 which mesh with pinions (16) and (18), respectively, which revolve stops (l7) and (19), motion of which is allowed or stopped by the lever (20), pivoted as at (21), whichmay be operated by a solenoid which is indicated at (22), or a volt-meter coil, or any other type of mechanism which will cause motion upon a slight change in voltage on the lamp line. (23) is an adjustable spring opposing the action of the solenoid (22). Theshaft (11) carries a spring drum mechanism (24:), similar to the main spring of an ordinary clock, which may be kept in a given position as by pawl (25), allowing revolution in one direction only. (26) indicates motor which tends to keep the spring of the drum mechanism (24) tightly wound and may be placed across the lamp mains through a suitable resistance (27).

The operation of the regulator is substantially as follows: The spring in the drum mechanism (24) tends to revolve the Shaft (11) in such manner as to rotate both gear wheels (7) and (S) in a right handed direction, upon the assumption that the normal direction of rotation of said shaft 11 is from right to left under the stress of the spring in the drum mechanism 24, but such motion is normally arrested by the stops (17) and (19) engaging the lever (20) when the lamp circuit is at a normal voltage when the pull of the solenoid (22) just balances the pull of the spring If the voltage fall slightly, the stop (19) will be released and the spring will instantly cause the gear wheel (7) to be revolved so as to lower the resistance until the lever (20) arrests the motion of the stop (19). If the voltage rise a little above normal, the stop a small (17) will be released and the gear wheel (8) will be instantly revolved to increase the resistance. The motor (26) will serve at all times to keep the spring in the drum mechanism (24;) wound tight and ready-for action, for as soon as it has run down a little, the torque of the small motor will be sufiicient to'wind it up again. This motor 26 may be of the series wound type and simplystallcd when the spring in the drum mechanism is tightly wound.

Fig. 11. shows a somewhat diiferent type of stop "which may be used in place of the stops (17) and (19) and may be made to work on a very delicate adjustment. In this figure, stops (17) and (19) are replaced by revolving disks (28) and (29), normally held from revolving by the lever (30), carried by the member (31) and drawn against them by an adjustable spring (32). Slight motion in the direction indicated by (A) will release the disk (29) and allow resistance to be cut out of the circuit, and slight movement in the direction of (B) will allow resistance to be thrown into the circuit. It is obvious that, with this arrangement as indicated the solenoid (22) would need to be placed on the other side of the lever from that shown in Fig. 1., or some such equivalent connection.

It will be noted that this type of regulator is very quick to respond to changes in voltage, for the reason that there is very little inertia to the parts necessary to move in order to effect the desired regulation and these parts are always under a strain due to the spring in the drum mechanism and ready to move instantly when released, the motor operating a little later to take up a slack in the spring caused by the quick movement of the regulator. Also, it will be noticed that no revolving or fist moving part of my regulator, that moves to cut out resistance, has to be reversed in order to cut in resistance, in other words, the motion of the machine is always in one direction, whether cutting in or out and, for this reason the time necessary to reverse the mechanism in most regulators of this character, is not required in my improved regulator.

It will be obvious that, if desired to use my invention for current regulation rather than voltage regulation as shown in the drawing, the same may readily be accom plished by winding the solenoid (22) with a coarse winding and placing the same in series with a circuit to be controlled.

I do not wish in any way to limit myself to any of the exact constructions or details shown in the attached drawing which is a mere diagrammatic representation of an electric system embodying the essentials of my invention and it is quite obvious that wide departure in forms of construction iaeaeta may be taken without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to protect by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims, to wit 1. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, movable means for operating the said resistance to alter the same, an element movable in a given direction and directly engaged with the operating means to increase said resistance, and a second element directly engaged with the operating means and movable in the same direction as the first named element to diminish said resistance.

2. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, reciprocable means for operating said resistance to alter the same, an element movable in a given direction and directly engaged with the operating means to cause said means to increase said resistance, and another element directly engaged with the said operating means and movable in the same direction as the first named element to diminish said resistance.

3. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, a threaded spindle for operating said resistance to alter the same, a gear mounted upon said spindle and movable in a given direction to increase said resistance, and a second gear engaging said spindle movable in the same direction to decrease said resistance.

4. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, a threaded spindle for operating said resistance to alter the same, a gear mounted upon said spindle and rotatable in a given direction to increase said resistance, and a second gear engaging said threaded spindle and held against axial movement to be rotated in the same direction as the first gear to decrease said resistance.

5. A regulator comprising a variable'resistance, a pair of gear wheels for controlling said resistance,difierential gearing for operating said gear wheels in the same direction, means for controlling said diiierem tial gearing to permit one or the other of said gear wheels to be operated, and means controlled by said gear wheels and movable in opposite directions as said gear wheels are rotated in thesame direction to raise or lower said resistance.

6. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, a pair of gear wheels for controlling the same, differential gearing for rotatin said gear wheels in the same direction, a source of power for actuating the differential gearing, means for replenishing said source of power, and means controlled by the gear wheels and movable in opposite directions as said gear wheels are moved in the same direction to increase or decrease said resistance.

7. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, a pair of gear Wheels for controlling said resistance, diflerential gearing to operate one or the other of said gear wheels in the same direction, a source of power to actuate said gearing, means for replenishing said source of power, controlling means for said gearing to allow the same to operate said gear Wheels singly, and movable means associated with said gear wheels and operable in opposite directions to increase or diminish said resistance as one or the other of said gears is rotated in the same direction.

8. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, an endwise movable spindle for exerting pressure upon said resistance to alter the same, a gear wheel mounted upon said spindle, a second gear Wheel mounted upon said spindle and having engagement therewith, said second named gear wheel being held against axial movement, gearing for rotating one or the other of said gear wheels in the same direction, controlling means for said gearing to determine which of said gear wheels shall be operated, a source of power for said gearing, and means for replenishing said source of power.

JOHN L. GREVELING.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. Cnanx, O. J. STOCKLEY. 

